Big surprises in small packages?
UNTIL LAST YEAR, Toyota India had no product below Rs 10 lakh. Over the past six months, however, they have launched the entry-level sedan Etios and its pared down version, the Liva hatchback, which we have tested and compared with its competitors in this very issue.
Toyota have a top down approach for India. Having covered the upper segments of the market, they are now focusing on the smaller ones with an aggression they had never shown before. Toyota have plans for two more small cars – one below the Liva and the other a premium hatchback.
Toyota may partner with companies like Peugeot, their JV partner for the B-Zero small car project in Europe, Subaru of Japan or their own Daihatsu for the small car projects to utilise their expertise in the segment.Apart from these, Toyota are also considering a compact SUV for India. This segment, currently dominated by Mahindra’s Scorpio, has a huge demand in India, with a slew of launches expected in the next two years. Toyota already have three SUVs in India with prices ranging from Rs 20 lakh to above Rs 1crore. A compact SUV, priced around Rs 10 lakh, will then cover each level of the SUV market in India.
